Images Arizona December 2020

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MUSICAL INSTRUMENT MUSEUM Writer Joseph J. Airdo Photography Courtesy of

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Musical Instrument Museum

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COMMUNITY EVENTS Writer Joseph J. Airdo

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LOREN YAGODA Writer Amanda Christmann Photographer Bryan Black

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ADVENT OF ANTLERS

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Writer Joseph J. Airdo Photography by Craig Miller

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MARK TATE Writer Shannon Severson Photography by Steven Thompson

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CHERRY PIE Writer and photographer Kyndra Kelly

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PUBLISHER Shelly Spence

MANAGING EDITOR Joseph J. Airdo

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Meaghan Hanie

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Joseph J. Airdo Sue Kern-Fleischer Kyndra Kelly Shannon Severson

PHOTOGRAPHERS Bryan Black Brandon Dunham Kyndra Kelly Loralei Lazurek Carl Schultz

ADVERTISING SALES Cooper Langston 480-544-8721 cooper@imagesaz.com

Images Arizona P.O. Box 1416 Carefree, AZ. 85377 623-341-8221 imagesarizona.com Submission of news for community section should be in to shelly@imagesaz.com by the 5th of the month prior to publication.

Images Arizona is published by ImagesAZ Inc. Copyright © 2020 by ImagesAZ, Inc. All rights reserved.

Reproduction, in whole or part, without permission is prohibited.

The publisher is not responsible for the return of unsolicited material.

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Our community constantly amazes and impresses me. Just when I thought that this holiday season would be but a whisper of what it has been in years past, the incredible individuals and outstanding organizations who shape our state have found ways to safely celebrate, bring people together and spread love, peace, joy and goodwill throughout our neighborhoods.

As this month’s issue of Images Arizona began to take form, my heart filled with happiness, pride and gratitude. From our overstuffed holiday performing arts preview that is brimming with festive performances to the numerous nonprofit organizations that are commemorating milestone anniversaries and awards to the talented artists and virtuosic business owners who are delivering culture and prosperity to our community, it is crystal clear that there is no shortage of all things merry and bright this year.

As this challenging year comes to a close, I am especially grateful for my family — which has been a steady source of support, inspiration and motivation. I am also grateful to all of the frontline and other essential workers who continue to ensure that our healthcare is maintained and that our supermarket shelves are stocked — many of whom do so at the expense of getting to spend time with their own families.

To my Images Arizona staff of writers, designers and photographers, thank you for your enduring commitment to shine a light on and showcase all of the exceptional aspects of the wonderful place we call home. Thank you to all of our neighbors, as well — many of whom started this year off as strangers but are now close friends after exhibiting unprecedented kindness in our community over the past several months.

And thank you to Images Arizona’s advertisers, all of whom make this magazine possible month after month. Finally, I would like to thank you — our valued readers — for inviting us into your lives. May this holiday season see you safe, healthy, happy and surrounded by an abundance of love.

Cheers!

Local First A R I Z O NA 6

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Shelly Spence Publisher, Images Arizona magazine shelly@imagesaz.com 623-341-8221

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Writer Joseph J. Airdo Photography Courtesy of Musical Instrument Museum

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There is only one place in all of the U.S. that is dedicated to telling the story of our shared connection through music. As Arizona residents, we are exceptionally fortunate to have that place — the cultural crown jewel known as Musical Instrument Museum, which this year celebrates its 10th anniversary of educating, entertaining and enlightening guests — in our own backyard.

“Musical Instrument Museum is alive with the vibrant sights and sounds of humanity and our distinction lies in offering guests an ability to experience the profound and undeniable power of music that has enriched, inspired and changed lives,” says April A. Salomon, the museum’s executive director.

Over the last decade, Musical Instrument Museum has expanded its global collection to more than 13,000 instruments and objects representing musical traditions and cultures from around the world.

“Since opening its doors in 2010, Musical Instrument Museum has made a tremendous impact economically, culturally and educationally in this community through thousands of programs, performances and exhibits celebrating the world’s musical traditions,” Salomon says. “Arts and cultural organizations represent the very best in all of us and Musical Instrument Museum is proud to be among those that are bringing joy to people’s lives.”

One of the many ways that Musical Instrument Museum brings joy to people’s lives is by entertaining them at its music theater, which has built a loyal following of music enthusiasts over the past decade. Home to 60 concerts in 2010 — an impressive number in and of itself — the comfortable, acoustically superb theater now showcases 300 performances a year, attracting both emerging and established talent.

Meanwhile, Musical Instrument Museum is also dedicated to education, having served more

Italian Tenor Cornetto

than 500,000 student participants on field trips — a majority of which include Title 1 schools from around our state.

“More recently, as a result of the [COVID-19] pandemic, a suite of virtual programs for K–12 schoolchildren were developed and educators across the country — along with five international schools — have requested access for their students,” Salomon says. “With these high-quality programs and continued outreach, Musical Instrument Museum will positively impact over one million eager young learners who can discover the world’s music in an entirely new way.”

Home to monthly signature events and special exhibitions like the current Congo Masks and Music: Masterpieces from Central Africa, Musical Instrument Museum also features a store and an award-winning café. But, of course, the highlight of the museum is its regional galleries which have consistently enlightened guests who spend an average of more than 3 hours exploring the world’s diverse cultures through a musical lens.

TRAVELING THE WORLD THROUGH MUSIC

David Wegehaupt joined Musical Instrument Museum’s team in January 2009 — 15 months prior to the museum’s opening — as a parttime curatorial assistant. He was attending graduate school at Arizona State University at the time, working on a master’s degree in music performance as a saxophonist.

“I had learned of Musical Instrument Museum from a presentation given at my ethnomusicology

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class,” Wegehaupt says. “I immediately knew I wanted to get involved. I had spent the previous year studying in Paris and had spent a lot of time exploring the many wonderful museums in that city. Learning that an ambitious large museum about music was to be built in my hometown, I just knew that I had to get involved.”

Wegehaupt immediately contacted the museum’s leadership to inquire about internships. There was no internship program at the time but, a few months later, someone contacted him to interview for a curatorial assistant position to help with the massive project of getting the museum ready to open in April 2010.

Wegehaupt eventually left Musical Instrument Museum for a few years to pursue performing opportunities but returned in 2017 as the museum’s associate curator for the U.S., Canada and Europe.

Since then, his favorite acquisition that he stewarded has been a Hardanger fiddle — an iconic Norwegian instrument made in 1907 by luthier Olaf G. Helland. “[It] has just about everything we look for in collecting an instrument,” the associate curator says. “Aside from the traditional ornate decorative elements — inlaid fingerboard, painted body and lion head scroll — the Hardanger fiddle differs from a violin in that it has four sympathetic strings, facilitating interesting tuning possibilities and a unique, bright sound.”

Wegehaupt initially wanted to become involved with Musical Instrument Museum more than 10 years ago because he knew that it could be one of the best institutions in Arizona, allowing visitors to encounter music and instruments that they have never heard of — like the Hardinger fiddle. That is also why he continues to work at the museum today.

“Visitors to the museum have an opportunity to travel around the world through the power of music, to learn about cultures and see the many ways music is used in all cultures for entertainment, for rituals, for celebrations and more,” Wegehaupt says.

He especially enjoys seeing young children fill the galleries on field trips as they express fascination and excitement about all kinds of music.

“Our education and public programs teams do a great job connecting with local students and communities, involving local musicians in weekend programming

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and making [the museum] accessible and beneficial to the musical community — from young students to professional musicians,” Wegehaupt says.

RETAINING THE SOULFULNESS BEHIND EACH TREASURED PIECE

Daniel Piper, Musical Instrument Museum’s curator for Latin America and the Middle East, joined the museum’s team during the summer of 2011. He brought with him a background as an ethnomusicologist, a multiinstrumentalist musician and an arts administrator.

“I was interested in Musical Instrument Museum’s broad cultural mission, bringing engaging content to the public and working directly with musicians, instrument makers, researchers and collectors in many different countries and local music cultures,” Piper says.

The curator adds that the experience working at Musical Instrument Museum has given him a much greater appreciation for the value of material culture.

“The design, the specific materials, the idiosyncratic elements and the history of any single instrument the museum collects and exhibits embodies something of the essence of a particular place, time, local culture and even the individual person who played or made the instrument,” Piper explains.

He says Musical Instrument Museum’s significance extends far beyond just our community because the experience of immersing oneself in the museum’s galleries helps to create in the visitor a deeper understanding and appreciation of our common humanity across countries and cultures.

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“We hope to retain in the experience of our exhibits some of the soulfulness of the people behind each treasured piece,” Piper says.

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One of his favorite parts about working at Musical Instrument Museum is the opportunity to travel the world to personally acquire instruments from musicians who are cherished in their respective cultures. He especially enjoys spending time with each instrument owner, who shares with him the story and passion behind the instrument before releasing it to the museum.

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THE ULTIMATE CELEBRATION OF MUSIC

Rich Walter, Musical Instrument Museum’s curator for the U.S., Canada and Europe, joined the museum’s team in October 2014. Since then, his role has expanded into new geographic areas and familiarity with a far greater range of instruments and musical traditions.

“My background includes study and work in archaeology, anthropology, ethnomusicology and folklore,” Walter says. “With those personal interests, Musical Instrument Museum is definitely a one-of-a-kind environment because it inherently combines matters of music and material culture at the core of our mission — and I am constantly learning more about topics that genuinely interest me.”

Hardanger Fiddle

Walter’s work at Musical Instrument Museum has gifted him with an ever-present reminder that people are passionate about music and musical instruments. He uses that as healthy motivation to always put forward his best effort on behalf of that collective passion. He has also come to the compelling realization that excellence exists everywhere in the world.

“Innovation, creativity and virtuosity can be found everywhere and applied to any given tradition,” Walter says. “So, it is exciting to learn more about how those different communities or traditions define excellence, and [to] seek out examples of musical instruments that help reflect that in a variety of ways.”

Even having been engulfed in the museum for more than six years now, the curator remains fascinated to see how a relatively small number of concepts — a tuned string, a percussive surface or a pipe with finger holes — have been developed into a seemingly endless variety of musical instruments, whether they are made humbly or extravagantly.

“Because we are a museum, it is always most satisfying when we can display instruments that have the best qualities of musical sound, playability and artful construction,” he says.

Walter is continuously inspired by each new acquisition, particularly because it will represent a meaningful improvement to Musical Instrument Museum’s collection. He is especially proud to see how the museum’s collection and galleries have matured quickly over time.

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Roberta Flack's Steinway Piano

“We recently acquired an originalcondition, authentic 16th-century Italian tenor cornetto,” Walter says.

“It is visually striking and quite a rare historic instrument and will provide new dimension to our portrayal of Renaissance-era European music.”

“

Arts and cultural organizations represent the very best in all of us and Musical Instrument Museum is proud to be among those that are bringing joy to people’s lives.

April A. Salomon

Walter adds that the acquisitions that involve exceptionally positive relationships are among his favorites.

“We were thrilled to accept the generous donation of Roberta Flack’s own Steinway piano,” Walter says.

“That developed out of mutual respect. We are always proud when artists of such high status recognize Musical Instrument Museum as the ultimate celebration of music and want to contribute to our collections.

In return, they are excited to have their careers represented side by side with musical peers from around the world.

It is a joy to create new exhibits driven by that sense of pride and connection.”

JUST GETTING STARTED

Water says that as a singular resource for anyone who loves music and is excited to discover authentic instruments from around the world, Musical Instrument Museum’s significance lies in its ability to open up so many ideas of human experience — from expression and heritage to aesthetics and identity — through the accessible entry point of music.

“I love observing guests who are simply looking at instruments when they begin their visit, and then before long start to discuss their own family histories, travel

experiences or comparisons between music they discover in different regions of the museum,” he adds. “It is rewarding to know that Musical Instrument Museum’s galleries often evoke so much more than music — and the whole experience frequently leaves people with a different appreciation of talented people from distant parts of the world.”

Salomon says Musical Instrument Museum’s high-performance culture and founding principles have been the cornerstones of the museum’s success as it strives to be nothing short of the best museum ever.

“The team’s commitment to delivering an exceptional guest experience drives the decision-making process,” she adds. “[With] a consistent focus on improvements — from exhibits to items in the museum store to technology and more — we want our audiences to be blown away every time they visit.”

The executive notes that Musical Instrument Museum’s guest-friendly offerings have fostered repeat visitation from patrons over the last 10 years. She anticipates that trend will continue as the museum expands its collection and offerings even further.

“As Phoenix’s No. 1 attraction welcoming more than 3 million guests so far, we are just getting started,” Salomon says.

Musical Instrument Museum 4725 E. Mayo Blvd., Phoenix 480-478-6000 mim.org

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COMMUNITY

2020 DECEMBER

Writer Joseph J. Airdo

Nov. 27–Dec. 20

A CHRISTMAS STORY: THE PLAY Desert Stages Theatre will present its production of “A Christmas Story: The Play” — the first show performed live in its space since the theater company was forced to shut down in March as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Like the 1983 motion picture of the same title, the play is based on humorist Jean Shepherd's memoir of growing up in the midwest in the 1940s and a 9-year-old boy’s quest to get a genuine Red Ryder BB gun under the tree for Christmas. See website for times and price. Desert Stages Theatre, 7014 E. Camelback Road, Suite 0586, Scottsdale. 480-483-1664; desertstages.org

Keep in mind Although Images Arizona magazine has made every effort to publish

Oct. 3–Jan. 17

Cave Creek Museum has launched

Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary

an exciting new educational resource

Art shines a light on aspects of the

through Cave Creek Unified School

Iranian experience normally hidden

District’s Education and Community

from the outside world by focusing on

VIRTUAL HISTORY PLAYGROUND

URBAN MAPPING EXHIBITION

Services Department. Using the Roblox

public and private spaces. Comprised

the most up-to-date information

gaming platform, the interactive

of 40 photographs and four video

at press time, some events may be

resource allows students to explore

installations, the exhibition features

canceled or rescheduled to comply

the Cave Creek area in the 1800s by

the work of 10 essential voices

walking up to various exhibits in a

in contemporary Iranian art who

with social distancing measures and

virtual version of the museum’s history

explore the notion of urban space

other factors associated with the

wing. The exhibits then transport

as a nexus of social communication

COVID-19 pandemic. Please use

students to a challenge that assesses

and political transformation — a

the contact information provided

their understanding of local history

place where personal and collective

topics, aligning with the museum’s

identity converge. $10; youth, student

mission of preserving and interpreting

and senior discounts available.

the natural resources and cultural

Wednesday–Sunday 11 a.m.–5 p.m.

heritage of the Northern Sonoran

Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary

Desert. $28. cavecreekmuseum.org

Art, 7374 E. Second St., Scottsdale.

to confirm dated details.

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Oct. 1–Dec. 31

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480-874-4666; smoca.org

RESIDENTIAL

Oct. 3–Jan. 31

BEYOND EXHIBITION Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art presents mother and daughter artists Barbara Stauffacher Solomon and Nellie King Solomon in their first joint exhibition. Both artists were trained as architects but were never licensed, which might explain the way they establish rules, grids or frameworks only to challenge their very existence. At the heart of the pair’s artistic practice lies the confident ability to think and explore beyond the norm — or beyond the frame. $10; youth, student and senior

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“Parents write on the hearts of their children that which the rough hands of the world cannot rub out.”

discounts available. Wednesday–Sunday 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art, 7374 E. Second St., Scottsdale. 480-874-4666; smoca.org

Oct. 5–Dec. 31

ARTISTS’ BREAKFAST CLUB EXHIBITION In celebration of its 20th anniversary, the Valley-based Artists’ Breakfast Club will be featured in a new exhibition

by Scottsdale Public Art. The group will celebrate a spirit of community and support among a collection of professional Arizona artists who meet regularly to exchange ideas, learn about the art world and become friends.

Participating Artists’ Breakfast Club members created artworks in a variety of mediums — including painting, photography, glass, ceramics, encaustic, metal, mixed media and printmaking.

In addition to the physical exhibition, all artworks will be included in a virtual exhibition. Free. See website for hours. Civic Center Public Gallery, 3839 N. Drinkwater Blvd., Scottsdale. scottsdalepublicart.org

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Dec. 4–23

BLACK NATIVITY The Black Theatre Troupe will present its production of “Black Nativity” — a retelling of the Christmas story — maintaining an annual tradition that the theater troupe has shared with the community throughout its 50-year history in the Valley. The show’s first act includes scripted scenes and songs whereas its second act is traditionally a gospel concert that is woven together with playwright Langston Hughes' narrative. See website for times and price. Helen K. Mason Performing Arts Center, 1333 E. Washington St., Phoenix. 602-258-8128; blacktheatretroupe.org

Nov. 27–Jan. 3

SNOWLAND CELEBRATION

bring to life a Charles Dickens’

Center for the Performing Arts, 7380

holiday classic in Childsplay’s

E. Second St., Scottsdale. 480-499-

production of “A Christmas Carol.”

8587; scottsdaleperformingarts.org

The one-woman performance will

Great Wolf Lodge is celebrating the

deliver the heartwarming story like

most festive time of the year with its

audiences have never seen or heard it

annual Snowland Celebration, during

before — under the stars, lights and

which families can safely soak up the

chandeliers of the new outdoor stage

HOLIDAY HERITAGE DINNER

holiday spirit with daily snow showers,

at Herberger Theater Center. $15+. 7

Marcellino Ristorante will host an

seasonally-themed crafts, stories and

p.m. Herberger Theater Center, 222

intimate event limited to 12 guests.

songs and a Cocoa Trolley. Families can

E. Monroe St., Phoenix. 480-921-

As chef Marcellino Verzino cooks

also escape the chilly winter weather at

5700; childsplayaz.org

from his wood-burning oven, he

the resort’s expansive 84-degree indoor water park. Great Wolf Lodge is also selling festive Santa Hat Wolf Ears for

will share stories from his childhood

Dec. 1

and describe his inspiration behind each course served. Sommelier

Lodge, 7333 N. Pima Road, Scottsdale.

CELEBRATING BEETHOVEN CONCERT

480-948-9653; greatwolf.com.

Acclaimed pianist Jeffrey Siegel

hailing from Verzino’s hometown

will celebrate the 250th birthday

in the Campania region. Each

of Ludwig van Beethoven with

course will be paired with these

the beloved “Moonlight Sonata”

exceptional wines. $200. 7 p.m.

and Sonata op. 110, written after

RSVP. Marcellino Ristorante, 7114 E.

deafness engulfed the legendary

Stetson Drive, Scottsdale. 480-990-

composer. $25+. 7:30 p.m. Scottsdale

9500; marcellinoristorante.com

$6.99, with $2 from each sale being donated to Make-A-Wish. Great Wolf

Nov. 28–Dec. 23

A CHRISTMAS CAROL One of the Valley’s most celebrated actresses, Katie McFadzen, will

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Dec. 1

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Dario Soldan, owner of Classico Wines, will present and pair wines from Fontanavecchia Vineyards,

Dec. 2

BIG BAD VOODOO DADDY: HOLIDAY SWINGIN’ PARTY Big Bad Voodoo Daddy puts a swing in the holiday season with a Christmas concert. $25+. 7:30 p.m. Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, 7380 E. Second St., Scottsdale. 480-499-8587; scottsdaleperformingarts.org

Dec. 2–23

UNWRAPPED: AN ORIGINAL CHRISTMAS REVUE The Phoenix Theatre Company is partnering with Brock Pro Entertainment to bring some rock 'n' roll muscle to its holiday production titled Unwrapped: An Original Christmas Revue. Featuring songs from Pentatonix, NSYNC, Hanson and more, the show will be performed on the theater company’s new outdoor stage. See website for times and price.

Central United Methodist Church, 1875 N. Central Ave., Phoenix. 602-254-2151; phoenixtheatre.com

Dec. 3

3 MAN BLEND BOURBON DINNER Mountain Shadows will host an intimate dining experience in its Paradise Ballroom and Terrace with spectacular bourbon cocktail pairings featuring 3 Man Blend, with notes of mocha and spice. The event will feature remarks from the blend creators and an opportunity to purchase personally engraved bottles. $180. 6:30 p.m. RSVP. Mountain Shadows, 5445 E. Lincoln Drive, Paradise Valley. 855-485-1417; mountainshadows.com

December 2020

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Dec. 4

CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING CEREMONY Carefree will host its annual Christmas Tree lighting ceremony as Carefree Desert Gardens gets all dressed up for the holidays. Complimentary popcorn, cookies, hot chocolate, coffee and water will be available, as well as treats for purchase. A free holiday gift will be distributed to each child/ family in attendance. Free. 5 p.m. Sanderson Lincoln Pavilion, 101 Easy St., Carefree. 480-488-3686; visitcarefree.org

Dec. 3

CAREFREE ART WALK

occasions — at Grace Renee Gallery in Carefree. Along with durability,

Stroll, shop, dine and enjoy an

of each type of leather pattern is

SPECIALTY WINE DINNER

evening celebrating the arts in

different from bag to bag while the

Classic Cooking Academy will host

downtown Carefree while helping

sources that Raskin uses are models

a deluxe dinner featuring fine wines

to support local businesses and

of sustainability. Each one is lined

craftily paired with a five-course

local creativity — which makes our

with high-quality leather, often in

tasting menu. Each of the wines will

Arizona culture a better place to

a fun, contrasting color. 10 a.m.–5

complement a menu item prepared

live, work and visit. Begin at any

p.m. Grace Renee Gallery, 7212 E.

by Atlas Bistro’s chef Cory Oppold.

gallery, then continue on to other

Ho Hum Road #7, Carefree. 480-

$125. 6 p.m. RSVP. Classic Cooking

participating galleries. Enjoy a diverse

575-8080; gracereneegallery.com

Academy, 10411 E. McDowell

the naturally occurring beauty

display of artistic styles and mediums, meet the artists, enjoy refreshments and engage in conversation about art

Mountain Ranch Road, Scottsdale.

Dec. 4–6

website for participating galleries.

SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS

visitcarefree.com

Chandler Center for the Arts will bring

and architecture. Free. 4–8 p.m. See

480-502-0177; ccacademy.edu

Dec. 5 and 6

Tempe Dance Academy's Christian

CELEBRITY SANTA SOIREE

Dance Company’s Spirit of Christmas

Storybook Entertainment will kick

ANNE SYLVAIN HANDBAGS

show to audiences’ living rooms with

off the holiday season with a soiree

a recording of last year’s 32nd annual

during which families may enjoy

presentation. The show celebrates

craft and activity sessions with

Fashion designer Patricia Raskin will

traditions from around the world

Mrs. Claus, Buddy the Elf and the

debut her one-of-a-kind, investment-

with a cast of more than 100 dancers,

Mean Green One as well as an

worthy handbags –– pieces of art

singers and guest performers. $20.

opportunity to meet Santa himself.

to carry every day and for special

480-782-2680; chandlercenter.org

$30+. 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Scottsdale

Dec. 3–5

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Center for the Performing Arts, 7380 E. Second St., Scottsdale. 480-499-8587; scottsdaleperformingarts.org

Dec. 5–20

HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS Arizona Broadway Theatre will present a celebration of song that pays homage to the most beloved melodies of the holidays. The mainstage series features the extraordinary vocal talent of esteemed Arizona Broadway Theatre stars of the past, present and future. $99.98 per table of two. See website for times. Arizona Broadway Theatre, 7701 W. Paradise Lane, Peoria. 623-776-8400; azbroadway.org

Dec. 6

HOLIDAYS WITH ORPHEUS The Orpheus Male Chorus of Phoenix will present its Christmas concert in a virtual format this year via its website.

Holidays with Orpheus will feature an interactive program with new virtual performances of “Oh Come All Ye Faithful” and “The Hands That First Held Mary’s Child” as well as classic videos and interviews. Free. See website for time. 602-699-4556; orpheus.org

Dec. 6

SEASONS FOR THE SEASON Concertmaster Christiano Rodrigues will lead the MusicaNova Orchestra Chamber Players in a virtual concert that invites listeners to reflect on 2020 through Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons” juxtaposed with reflective works by African American composers Florence Price and George Walker. The program also includes a world-premiere by Brazilian composer and conductor Diogo Pereira. $10. 2 p.m. musicanova.org

December 2020

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Dec. 12 and 19

NUTCRACKER SUITE Ballet Arizona is ensuring the survival of a cherished and time-honored tradition with its digital presentation of “Nutcracker Suite.” In addition to the beautiful dancing that audiences know and love, the presentations will also feature exclusive behind-thescenes content such as dancer interviews, rehearsal footage and backstage peeks. The dance company will also compliment the virtual viewing experience with optional add-on packages that include sweet treats, activities, mementos and more to help bring home the joy of attending one of its productions of “The Nutcracker” in person. $20. 3 p.m. 602-381-1096; balletaz.org

Dec. 10–18

provides spaced seating and limited

various pieces of equipment from the

parking spots with views of the stage.

early mining days of Arizona and many

The show will feature 30 beloved

agricultural tools used at local farms

holiday songs — including “Winter

and ranches. See website for times.

Congregants from Temple Chai as

Wonderland,” “Let It Snow,” “Jingle

Cave Creek Museum, 6140 E. Skyline

well as members of the Jewish Social

Bell Rock,” “O, Holy Night,” “Santa

Drive, Cave Creek. 480-488-2764;

Group of Cave Creek and Carefree

Baby” and “Santa Claus is Coming

cavecreekmuseum.org

will participate in Carefree’s annual

to Town.” $32. See website for times.

Chanukah menorah lighting ceremony.

Fountain Hills Theater, 11445 N.

Each evening’s lighting will be led by a

Saguaro Blvd., Fountain Hills. 480-

different community group or family,

837-9661; fhtaz.org

CHANUKAH MENORAH LIGHTING CEREMONY

with special Chanukah bags gifted to the first children to arrive each night.

Free. 5:30 p.m. Sanderson Lincoln Pavilion, 101 Easy St., Carefree. 480488-3686; visitcarefree.org

Dec. 11–20

HOLLY JOLLY CHRISTMAS: A HOLIDAY REVUE

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Dec. 12

GOLDEN REEF STAMP MILL DEMONSTRATION

HOW THE SUGAR THIEVES STOLE CHRISTMAS The Sugar Thieves will bring its distinct soulful sound to everybody’s favorite holiday tunes in a family-

Arizona’s only fully operational ten-

friendly Christmas concert. $10+.

stamp ore crushing mill will run several

7 p.m. Scottsdale Center for the

outdoor demonstrations at Cave Creek

Performing Arts, 7380 E. Second

Museum. Watch history come alive

St., Scottsdale. 480-499-8587;

as the ten 1,000-pound stamps slam

scottsdaleperformingarts.org

down in synchronized precision and

Santa and Mrs. Claus will host a

hear the pounding echo against the

joyous and touching musical walk

desert foothills — just as it did more

down memory lane via Fountain Hill

than 140 years ago. Also on exhibit

Theater’s new outdoor venue that

outdoors on the museum campus are

i m a g e s a r i z o n a . c o m De c e m b e r 2 02 0

Dec. 12

Dec. 12

HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS Sonoran Desert Chorale will present its Christmas concert in a virtual format this year via its website. Home for the Holidays will feature a selection of beloved and joyful songs of the season, delivered via the beautiful sounds for which the ensemble is known. Free. 7:30 p.m. 480-305-4538; sonorandesertchorale.org

Dec. 12

SPIRITED SIPPING SEMINAR Hearth '61 at Mountain Shadows will host a journey through the wonderful world of wine and spirits. Its talented beverage experts will guide attendees through a tasting seminar and

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history lesson worth savoring. December’s event is titled Battle of the Bubbly! France vs. Oregon. $39. 3 p.m. RSVP. Mountain Shadows, 5445 E. Lincoln Drive, Paradise Valley. 855-485-1417; mountainshadows.com

Dec. 13

WaltDanley.com | ChristiesRealEstate.com

COCKTAILS UNDER THE COSMOS Mountain Shadows will host a celebration of all things celestial on its scenic Camelback Overlook rooftop deck with dramatic Camelback Mountain views. Attendees will have an opportunity to view the Geminid Meteor Shower with an expert astronomer as their guide — telescope in tow. The event will feature an astrology-themed cocktail perfect for sipping under the stars. $45. 8 p.m. RSVP. Mountain Shadows, 5445 E. Lincoln Drive, Paradise Valley.

855-485-1417; mountainshadows.com

Dec. 13

HOLIDAY MUSIC FEATURING PHOENIX BRASS COLLECTIVE In-person and livestream ticketing options are available for Phoenix Brass Collective’s holiday concert, which is part of Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts’ MusicaNovacurated series Classical Longue that showcases the work of wonderful Arizona classical musicians in a casual, informal setting. The concert will showcase a brass quintet made up of two trumpets, one French horn, one trombone and one tuba. $24+. 2 p.m. Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, 7380 E. Second St., Scottsdale. phxbrass.com

December 2020

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Dec. 19

A MERRY-ACHI CHRISTMAS Maestro José Hernández and his platinum-selling Mariachi Sol de México will perform treasured holiday classics and favorites from the mariachi songbook. The holiday concert will feature a blend of classical, pop, jazz, swing and Broadway tunes. $39. 8 p.m. Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, 7380 E. Second St., Scottsdale. 480-499-8587; scottsdaleperformingarts.org

Dec. 13

SUNDAY SUPPER CLUB Mountain Shadows will host a Sunday supper featuring an incredible winery,

years. Hosted by artistic director

conversation with one another. Free.

Christopher Gabbitas, the broadcast

6 p.m. phoenixchorale.org

will include performances of “Glory, Glory, Glory to the Newborn King,”

Dec. 19

“The Word was God,” “Silent Night” and “The Christmas Song.” Free. 7

will savor four courses thoughtfully

CHRISTMAS KALEIDOSCOPE

paired with beverages and enjoy

ProMusica Arizona Chorale and

conversation from chef Charles Wiley

Orchestra will present its holiday

and a special guest. $109. 6 p.m. RSVP.

concert in a virtual format this year.

HOLIDAY CABARET

Mountain Shadows, 5445 E. Lincoln

Christmas Kaleidoscope will feature

Desert Foothills Theater’s seasoned

Drive, Paradise Valley. 855-485-1417;

festive favorites that showcase the

entertainers will present a fun,

mountainshadows.com

performing arts organization’s vocal

safe and joy-filled night of song,

and string chamber ensembles. Free.

dance, laughter and heartwarming

See website for time. 623-326-5172;

fun. Staff and performers will

pmaz.org

observe all mandates — including

distillery or local purveyor. Guests

Dec. 14

PHOENIX CHORALE’S CHRIS CHATS The Phoenix Chorale’s artistic

p.m. phoenixchorale.org

Dec. 19

spaced seating, face coverings and

Dec. 19

professional cleaning — and take precautions to ensure a safe and

interview choral masters Anton

A CHORALE CHRISTMAS

Armstrong and André J. Thomas

The Phoenix Chorale will broadcast

60th St., Scottsdale. 480-488-1981;

during a virtual broadcast. The

a virtual holiday concert, featuring

dftheater.org

broadcast is part of a series that

highlights from its Christmas

features choral luminaries, composers

programs from the past two

director Christopher Gabbitas will

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and leaders in the choral field in

i m a g e s a r i z o n a . c o m De c e m b e r 2 02 0

healthy environment. $25. 7 p.m.

The Holland Center, 34250 N.

Dec. 19

LUNCH AND LEARN: CHRISTMAS EVE IN ITALY Marcellino Ristorante will host a cooking class during which chef Marcellino Verzino will teach participants how to cook Scialatielli alle Vongole — handcrafted, long, robust pasta sautéed with Manila clams, olive oil, garlic, white wine and red pepper flakes. $50. 1 p.m. RSVP. Marcellino Ristorante, 7114 E. Stetson Drive, Scottsdale. 480-990-9500; marcellinoristorante.com

Dec. 19–22

SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS Tempe Dance Academy's Christian Dance Company will perform a live version of its Spirit of Christmas show, which celebrates traditions from around the world. See website for times and price. Higley Center for the Performing Arts, 4132 E. Pecos Road, Gilbert. 480820-0795; tempedance.com

Jan. 8–10

SURPRISE FINE ART AND WINE FESTIVAL Thunderbird Artists will host a festival that boasts original pieces of fine art in a variety of mediums and subject matters — including stone sculptors Jerry and Marshall Locke. More than 40 different domestic and imported wines as well as flavored spirits and local microbrews will be available for tasting for a $10 fee, which includes an engraved souvenir wine glass and six tickets. Additional tickets may be purchased for $1. Food booths will also be on-site with a wide variety of delectable sweets, treats and more. Flutist Vibhas Kendzia will provide the entertainment. $3. 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Mark Coronado Park, 15960 N. Bullard Ave., Surprise. 480-837-5637; thunderbirdartists.com

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ARIZONA GIVES DAY REGISTRATION OPENS The Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits and The Arizona Grantmakers Forum have opened registration and re-enrollment for Arizona nonprofit organizations interested in participating in next year’s Arizona Gives Day. The annual 24-hour online fundraising event unites nonprofit organizations — big and small, new and established — to celebrate and increase philanthropy in Arizona. Arizona Gives Day helps to raise awareness about the critical role Arizona nonprofit organizations play in our communities and inspires people to give generously to create a thriving and stronger Arizona for all. azgives.org

Jan 15–17

CAREFREE FINE ART AND WINE FESTIVAL

ARIZONA SAGE ART MARKET The Foothills Community

Thunderbird Artists will host a

Foundation will host its 6th annual

festival that boasts 150 meticulously

juried art show and affordable event

juried fine artists exhibiting a wide

featuring notable artists from a

range of mediums — including

wide variety of media with purchase

ceramic potter Hong Rubinstein. A

prices limited to a maximum of

vast array of domestic and imported

$300. The event is sponsored

wines as well as ice-cold microbrews

by and shares proceeds with the

and flavored spirits will be available

Foothills Community Foundation, a

for tasting for a $10 fee, which

nonprofit organization that supports

includes an engraved souvenir wine

art education among many other

glass and six tickets. Additional

philanthropic programs. Free. Friday

tickets may be purchased for $1.

4–7 p.m.; Saturday 10 a.m.–4 p.m.

AfterGlow, specializing in high-energy

The Holland Community Center,

contemporary jazz and funk tunes,

34250 N. 60th St., Scottsdale. 480-

will provide the entertainment. $3. 10

488-1090; azfcf.org

a.m.–5 p.m. Downtown Carefree, 101 Easy Street, Carefree. 480-837-5637; thunderbirdartists.com

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Jan. 29 and 30

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ARIZONA MUSICFEST SETS SEASON This year’s Arizona Musicfest season will run January through April.

Featured artists will include Pink Martini, Steve Tyrell, Emanuel Ax, The Texas Tenors and Broadway’s John Lloyd Young as well as audience favorites Ann Hampton Callaway and Tony DeSare.

The season will also feature the Festival Orchestra, comprised of musicians from some of the nation’s finest orchestras. 480-422-8449; azmusicfest.org

CAVE CREEK MUSEUM APPOINTS INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

FOOTHILLS CARING CORPS ELECTS BOARD MEMBERS

NVSO PRESENTS NEIGHBORHOOD NOELS

Suzanne D. Johnson has been

Foothills Caring Corps has elected

Even though the COVID-19

appointed the interim executive

three members to its board of

pandemic has made it impossible

director of Cave Creek Museum. A

directors — Cynthia Driskell,

for its musicians to meet as a full

longtime resident of the area, Johnson

owner and physical therapist at

ensemble, North Valley Symphony

is recognized Valley-wide for her

Carefree Physical Therapy; Susie

Orchestra has continued to provide

dedicated and innovative approach to

Dymoke, Carefree resident and

the opportunity for musicians

civic and nonprofit fundraising as well

avid community advocate and

of all ages to learn, rehearse and

as for her documentary filmmaking

longtime Foothills Caring Corps

perform exceptional music. Its

and publishing. Cave Creek Museum,

volunteer; and Ron Fink, who has

three youth ensembles have been

6140 E. Skyline Drive, Cave Creek.

been a volunteer for the Foothills

meeting virtually each week while

480-488-2764; cavecreekmuseum.org

Caring Corps for more than three

its adult musicians were given

years. Meanwhile, the nonprofit

the opportunity to meet in small

organization has canceled its

chamber ensembles, which recorded

annual charity golf tournament

repertoire in November for release

originally scheduled for Dec. 7 at

on YouTube throughout December

Chandler Mayor Kevin Hartke

Mirabel Golf Club. The cancelation

and January. The orchestra is also

has appointed East Valley resident

leaves a hole in the budget that

encouraging its musicians to perform

Candy Yu to the Chandler Cultural

it hopes to fill with contributions

small chamber concerts of holiday

Foundation’s managing board. The

instead of birdies.480-488-1105;

music in private parks, driveways

Honeywell Aerospace Program

foothillscaringcorps.com

and local ramadas of their immediate

CHANDLER CULTURAL FOUNDATION GAINS BOARD MEMBER

manager was inspired to join the

neighborhoods. 623-980-4628;

board after seeing the impact the

northvalleysymphony.org

Chandler Center for the Arts had on her own children. chandlercenter.org

Dec. 31

NEW YEAR’S EVE DINNER AND MUSIC Marcellino Ristorante will host a special holiday dinner featuring a celebratory menu from chef Marcellino Verzino and music from vocalist Monte Procopio. 6:30 p.m. RSVP. Marcellino Ristorante, 7114 E. Stetson Drive, Scottsdale. 480-990-9500; marcellinoristorante.com

December 2020

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Writer Joseph J. Airdo Photography Courtesy of The Black Theatre Troupe and Laura Durant

This year has been filled with more complicated and complex issues than any other in recent memory.

In addition to a pandemic and economic instability, racial tensions across the country have been at an all-time high, revealing that our society needs to sit down and have some very important conversations.

David Hemphill believes that many of those conversations can begin and be led through the arts. As the executive director of The Black Theatre Troupe since 1994 — and a patron and board member of the theater company for many years before that — he has seen first-hand the significant part that the arts play in extinguishing raging fires.

“The Black Theatre Troupe was started in 1970 to quell the unrest and to speak to the issues that caused the unrest during that time,” Hemphill explains. “Those issues have again surfaced. Inequality and injustice have again reared their ugly heads. People should trust us to heal those rifts just as we did back then.”

The only professional African American theater company within the four-corner states, The Black Theatre Troupe provides training, employment and performance opportunities for multi-ethnic and under-served artists.

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“

FROM THE ARCHIVES

It operates to enhance the cultural and artistic awareness of the community by providing productions that illuminate the African American experience with the purpose and mission of educating, enlightening and entertaining a diverse, multicultural audience with an emphasis on providing exposure to Black culture and ideology.

This year, The Black Theatre Troupe celebrates its 50th season — a milestone that is made even more relevant given the recent racial tensions. It can be said that the theater company’s role in our community is more important now than it has ever been over its five-decade history.

PAVING THE WAY

During the late 1960s, Phoenix Parks and Recreation Supervisor Helen Katherine Mason acknowledged a distinct absence of African American voices within Arizona’s arts communities. She dedicated herself to giving those voices a platform from which they could be lifted and heard by all.

“She was a pioneer,” says Hemphill, noting that Mason was a great-granddaughter of the first African American Phoenician, Mary Green. “Her lineage of service and activism through the arts goes back many decades.”

Mason theorized that the arts could be used to put an end to the social and civil unrest that was occurring across the U.S. during the

late 1960s. She founded The Black Theatre Troupe as a community drop-in center in the Sidney P. Osborn housing projects in an effort to give a voice to people of color and avert impending racial unrest in Phoenix.

“She had an open-door policy where minority youth could come perform a skit, write a poem, do a dance or make up a song that addressed how racial segregation in Phoenix made them feel,” Hemphill says. “The Black Theatre Troupe was started as an outlet for that restless spirit.”

The grassroots organization was part of a growing trend occurring across the country during that time. Through the Black Arts Movement, a number of African American theaters began popping up around the U.S. in response to the riots and civil unrest of that time.

“The arts have always had the ability or the mission to address certain socio-cultural issues,” Hemphill says. “The Black Arts Movement paved the way for the spoken word artists and even the hip-hop artists of today through plays that spoke to the African American experience.”

ART COMES FULL CIRCLE

The Black Theatre Troupe’s first performances took place at Eastlake Park — the only place in Arizona where African Americans and whites could freely associate with one another at the time.

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“It was initially a transfer point for the trolley system,” Hemphill says. “And it was the place where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke as well as where rallies against civil injustice were held.”

Over the years, The Black Theatre Troupe utilized various facilities around Phoenix for performances — including the basement of Phoenix’s old city hall and the community room at First Institutional Baptist Church.

In 1983, The Black Theatre Troupe purchased the historic Temple Beth Hebrew Synagogue in the heart of what is now the Roosevelt Row District. A 2001 electrical fire forced the theater company to again utilize various facilities around the city — including Herberger Theater Center, John Paul Theatre at Phoenix College and Playhouse on the Park.

A 2006 bond election awarded The Black Theatre Troupe $2.5 million. The theater company raised additional funds through a capital campaign and, on Feb. 1, 2013, it opened The Helen K. Mason Performing Arts Center — exactly two blocks from Eastlake Park, the home of its humble beginnings.

THE SHOW MUST GO ON

Over the past 50 years, The Black Theatre Troupe has become a significant cultural bridge between races and ethnicities through its productions. It has evolved from a grassroots organization into a highly respected theater company that promotes excellence in the performing arts with an emphasis on people of color.

“Our production values have increased,” Hemphill says. “We do larger shows that have bigger budgets. But we still perform pieces from the African American canon that speak to the African American experience.

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“

I think that we as a society have to do the healing. But the arts and the types of plays that The Black Theatre Troupe produces can certainly provide us with a roadmap.

David Hemphill

Our mission and base of activism remain the same although the plays we perform are different and more mainstream now.”

The Black Theatre Troupe’s landmark 50th season includes productions of “Sistas: The Musical,” “Sunset Baby,” “A Soldier's Play” and “Ain't Misbehavin'.” The performance schedule and other specifics remain up in the air in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, but Hemphill insists that the show must go on in some way, shape or form.

One of the highlights of each and every one of The Black Theatre Troupe’s seasons is its production of “Black Nativity” — a retelling of the Christmas story.

“It is more or less The Black Theatre Troupe’s Christmas card to the state of Arizona,” Hemphill says. “When Langston Hughes wrote ‘Black Nativity,’ his intention was to provide the African American community with an annual celebration that would speak to them.”

That tradition will not be broken this year, with the theater company planning to produce “Black Nativity” this month in either an in-person or virtual format, depending on health restrictions.

“The first act of the show includes scripted scenes and songs,” Hemphill says. “The second act of the show is traditionally a gospel concert that is woven together with Langston Hughes' narrative. Each year, we change that act’s songs.”

The Black Theatre Troupe’s 50th anniversary also includes a season-long celebration of photos, videos and memorabilia from its archives shared to social media that reflect the theater company’s great past as well as highlight its aspirations for the next 50 years.

A MIRROR FOR SOCIETY

Hemphill says that The Black Theatre Troupe’s current significance is amplified by the fact that nearly 90% of the theaters that came out of the Black Arts Movement are now gone. The Black Theatre Troupe is one of just a handful of theaters that are still hanging on, giving a voice to the African American community.

He adds that the theater company can play a significant role in addressing the racial tensions that continue to plague our society and have led to so much unrest in recent months.

“We can provide a mirror for society to actually see why the unrest has manifested,” Hemphill explains. “We can tell those stories that audiences see and say, ‘Oh my gosh! I cannot believe that it was like that,’ or “I can now see why there is anger within the African American community.”

However, Hemphill notes that while the arts can be that all-important mirror, they cannot do the heavy lifting. We must ultimately make the conscious decision to heal ourselves.

“We as a society have to do the healing,” he says. “But the arts and the types of plays that The Black Theatre Troupe produces can certainly provide us with a roadmap.”

That roadmap starts from a point of understanding that Hemphill has discovered through working with and being a patron of The Black Theatre Troupe.

“All cultures have stories to tell,” he says.

“And our stories — the stories that emphasize or speak to the African American experience — are universal.” blacktheatretroupe.org

EXPERIENCE “Black Nativity”

Dec. 4–23 | See website for times and price | Helen K. Mason Performing Arts Center | 1333 E. Washington St., Phoenix | 602-258-8128 December 2020 imagesar iz ona .c om blacktheatretroupe.org

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Artist Loren Yagoda is known for her graphic, often large-scale canvases in neutral tones that communicate the spirit of space.

Writer Amanda Christmann

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Architectonic #400, 48 by 48 inches

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Loren Yagoda inhales, noticing the sensation as air fills her lungs. Her face, framed by beautiful white-silver hair, is filled with peace. The intensity of her eyes is concealed behind closed lids, and her focus shifts to the gentle rise in her chest and the expansion in her belly. Pausing for a moment, she feels a soft tension before allowing the air to escape from her nose.

For a few seconds, she savors the sensation of feeling rather than thinking, and of being empty yet complete, before taking in another cleansing breath.

Gone is the clutter of the mind. In this moment, there is only breath and the lucid clarity of a connection to nature, creation, and the universe.

For those who have discovered Yagoda’s striking works, it’s no surprise that each of her paintings begins with meditation and intuition. Her monochromatic palettes, assertive lines and stirring layers elicit an intrinsically emotional response.

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Desert Dreams #101, 60 by 48 inches

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“Like the bone structure of a skeleton, the construct of our character leaves footprints of those who have shared our time and space. My hope is that my paintings will remind you of your own history and its importance in your existence.”

Loren Yagoda

Her creations seem to bypass the mind and its desire to create sense and order, and connect instead to the spaces that can only be reached by focusing within.

Sitting comfortably in her Phoenix home, Yagoda is the picture of a woman content within her own skin. She looks smart in her trademark black, and her words and expressions are kind yet absent of hyperbole.

Like most true artists whose thoughts and emotions are told through their mediums, she falls short in her search for words to describe her creative process.

“For many years, I was a dancer,” she says after a pause. “I still say that I dance my lines onto the canvas.

Sometimes those lines are big, bold strokes, and other times they’re subdued and quiet. I have different moods.

You know they’re all me even though they’re different.

“I’ve always used the term ‘textural existence’ to describe what I do,” she added. “I love the concept of texture, and of creating things within things. ‘Character’ is probably more the word for it.”

In both life and art, Yagoda embraces the Japanese concept of wabi sabi, cherishing perceived imperfections.

Inexact lines, misaligned layers, and free form creations are all part of the character, and the draw, of her art.

Like glimpses into separate elements of her inner psyche, Yagoda has spent years developing four series of original paintings: Meditation Thought, Enigma, Architectonic, and Stripes.

In each, she uses bold black strokes combined with earthy taupe, tobacco and gray undertones, some subtle and some more prolific. Each series has its own persona and allure.

MEDITATION THOUGHT

Yagoda’s Meditation Thought series is a collection of layered textures. Distractions disappear and the mind is encouraged to look into its voids. With these paintings— as with all of her work—she’s not interested in inspiring thought; rather, she wishes to invoke the absence of thinking and the entrance into something much deeper.

ENIGMA

This series was borne out of Yagoda’s own duality. While her quiet, calm energy is most obvious, paintings within her Enigma collection exude a decidedly masculine energy. Bold abstract lines and colors define this series, and each has an element of whimsy and liveliness unique to her creative perspective.

ARCHITECTONIC

Architecture and nature are the inspiration for this series. Rather than capturing the structure of a house,

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Artist Loren Yagoda goes back to each piece time and again until she is satisfied — adding and subtracting, using a palette knife to scrape away what she wants to remove, and enhancing the sections she wants to keep.

Yagoda has instead recreated the soul of a structure in this vivid collection.

STRIPES

To create the paintings in this series, Yagoda uses steady repetition and intuition as a guide to create lines ranging from crisp and precise to spontaneous and improvised.

THE MAKING OF AN ARTIST

Some artists are born while others are created. Yagoda’s path has been a combination of both.

As the story goes, her mother had an unusual craving for the smell of turpentine while she was pregnant— so much that she dabbed it on her wrists as perfume.

From the time Loren was born, she was surrounded by collectors, designers and architects. In addition, her mother collected art, and she shared her passion with her daughter.

Yagoda was encouraged to express herself through color and form, pacifying herself with art supplies. As a child, she spent many hours with crayons, paper, scissors and paints, silently creating new worlds from the corners of her imagination.

Her parents designed homes during her early childhood, leaving her enamored with building, creating, and the use of artistic materials. Through their work, architecture became an early love.

As she got older, she began to explore expression through dance, eventually

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studying under renowned instructor Barbara Mettler. As she moved her body within Mettler’s beautifully designed space, she began to appreciate the complexities, function, and form of architecture, which led to a life-long affinity for design.

She began to understand the relationship between design and expression, and explored that kinship in many ways. She taught dance to special education students, created jewelry and ceramics, painted, raised three children, and earned her BFA from Memphis College of Art. Throughout her life, Yagoda has evolved and transformed, exploring passions, discovering new pieces of herself, and leaving behind that which did not serve her.

For many years, she fell naturally into interior design. She enjoyed the challenge of understanding the energy of a space and of its inhabitants, then visually expressing that energy.

All the while, it was creative expression that pressed her forward. What she hadn’t realized at the time was that, with each challenge and every victory, she was building a palette of experiences from which she could draw inspiration.

“It’s like reading a long book,” she explained. “The character development becomes more interesting as you turn the pages, and that’s what has happened to me in my life and in my art.”

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Desert Dreams #102, 60 by 48 inches

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Artist Loren Yagoda’s meditative acrylic paintings, inspired by modern architecture, can now be seen at Grace Renee Gallery in Carefree.

She still finds herself combining art with interior design, often creating commissioned works for clients and their homes, offices, or other spaces.

SPECIALLY FEATURED

Yagoda’s work is meant to be experienced, and several of her original works are currently on display at Grace Renee Gallery in Carefree. She and gallery owner Shelly Spence have put together a collection of stunning works that reflect a subdued sophistication.

She has also been chosen for an exciting new project.

Actress Portia de Rossi, who owns a company called

General Public, has developed a 3-D printing technology called the synograph that will allow her to realistically recreate the depth and texture of Yagoda’s work. She’s put together the Yagoda Series of prints, which is being sold through decor giant Restoration Hardware beginning December 2020.

“My goal is to create rooms that feel good,” she said.

“I want to create art that touches the senses, and that helps to relax the mind. With each painting, my goal is to create a place to rest from our constant daily tasks and distractions.” gracereneegallery.com

The Art of Loren Yagoda Grace Renee Gallery | 7212 E. Ho Hum Road #7 | Carefree | 480-575-8080 | gracereneegallery.comDecember

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Writer Joseph J. Airdo

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There have been countless stories over the years about the various animals that have stepped into reindeer’s shoes — or should I say hooves — when the seasonally iconic creatures have been unavailable to lead Santa’s sleigh.

The Grinch had his loyal dog Max begrudgingly help him steal Christmas; a miniature horse saved the day in “Elliot the Littlest Reindeer;” and “Animaniacs” even saw a flock of wiseguy pigeons fill in for Rudolph and his crew.

Our planet is filled with so many spectacular species of wildlife that St. Nick need never worry about how to deliver toys to all of the children around the world each Dec. 24. However, if we are speaking solely from an aesthetic perspective, there would be no better substitute than elk.

The handsome creatures are every bit as majestic as reindeer, resembling them right down to their attractive, velvet-covered antlers. Moreover, as photographer Craig Miller attests, Santa need not look farther than the streets, parks and backyards of Arizona’s Rim Country in order to find plenty of elk from which to choose.

“If you walk, bike or drive anywhere around Payson or the surrounding area, you have a good chance to see one to a half-dozen big-antlered elk munching on bushes, trees, grasses, leaves or bark,” Miller says.

“You might also see [them] moseying through a residential neighborhood, splashing in Green Valley Park or even strutting right down Main Street — almost like they own the town.”

Images Arizona hopes that this month’s photo essay — which features a festive collection of Miller’s enchanting elk photography — illustrates that although most of our state may not have snow, there are plenty of seasonal symbols that surround us. It is up to us to notice them and to put them in the right context that will make our spirits bright.

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Getting up close and personal with one or more of the big bulls with their huge racks is an eye-popping treat.

Older bulls have antlers that can weigh as much as 40 pounds and have a length and spread of four feet. The older bulls can weigh over half a ton.

Craig Miller

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Elk consume between 9 and 16 pounds of vegetation daily, necessary to support their 800- to 1,200-pound frames.

Craig Miller

VANISHING VELVET Prior to the early 1900s, one could not find even a single elk roaming the entire territory of Arizona.

“But that changed in 1913 — one year after Arizona achieved statehood — when 83 elk were brought by rail from Yellowstone Park and released in Cabin Draw near Chevelon Creek,” photographer Craig Miller says.

Oh, how the times have changed over the past century. Arizona Game and Fish now estimates Arizona’s elk population at about 45,000 post-hunt adults. Miller notes that said number is expected to continue rising as cow (female) elk produce at least one calf each year for their lifetime of 10 to 12 years.

Miller adds that bull (male) elk can appear very different in appearance depending on the time of the year that one visits Arizona’s Rim Country.

“They grow and shed their antlers each year,” he explains. “In the summer months, the bulls will have nearly completed their antler growth, with their racks covered with nutrient-providing ‘velvet.’

By August, with the rut (mating) season quickly approaching, the bull’s rising testosterone levels will harden its antlers. The dried-up velvet will be shed through raking — the rubbing of the bull’s antlers against trees, bushes and brush.”

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ABOUT THE PHOTOGRAPHER Craig Miller grew up in the suburbs of Chicago. After graduating from Aurora University with a bachelor’s degree in social work and physical education and a master’s degree in education, he enjoyed a fulfilling career as a public school teacher and counselor.

The lifelong community volunteer and long-time runner moved to Payson in 2002 to enjoy semi-retirement and the weather. Although Miller had grown up with photography as a hobby, he became serious about the craft about 10 years ago.

Miller casts a wide net when it comes to the art form, enjoying everything from wildlife, night and astrophotography to community events, sports and wedding photography. He currently teaches advanced photography at Eastern Arizona College in Payson.

Today, Miller still resides in Payson with his wife, Ann — his partner in both his disc jockey and professional photography businesses. The pair has been voted “Payson’s Best Photographers” and “Payson’s Best DJs” by the readers of Payson Roundup for each of the last seven years.

Miller takes most of his photography in Payson but also enjoys traveling throughout Arizona for his craft. His work has been featured in several books, magazines, newspapers and calendars as well as on business websites and on the walls of many homes and businesses. djcraiginpayson.com

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In late February through the middle of March of each year, with declining testosterone levels, the bull elk shed their antlers and immediately start growing new ones. Their velvet-covered new rack will become fully mature by the middle of August, when their velvet is shed in time for the mating (rut) season to follow in September and October.

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It seems that nary a day goes by that we do not see elk strolling down the middle of our streets, helping themselves to birdseed and floral bushes in our backyards and sometimes romping through our town parks.

Craig Miller

Wishing you a season of joy.

May the magic of the season bring you peace, love and joy. Happy holidays to an incredible community!

ELK PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS

Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.®

Craig Miller says that photographing elk can be a lot of fun — regardless if one uses professional camera gear or simply their smartphone. But he cautions that elk are wild animals that do not have humans’ reasoning capacity.

“Always give the elk their space and make sure you have a safety plan in place should the elk decide to charge you,” the photographer advises. “Always have a tree or other structure between you and the bull or have your vehicle within a safe distance. And be aware that bulls can run much faster than you can.”

Miller adds that it has been reported that people have been seriously injured by an elk’s sharp hooves. Some have even been trampled or gored to death.

“Better safe than sorry,” the photographer says. “No picture is worth your life.”

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Mark Tate was inspired to open an art gallery/studio adjacent to his Cave Creek residential architecture and interior design firm that will feature artists who might not otherwise be seen, multicultural exhibits and artists who began their pursuits later in life.

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Throughout his life, architect Mark Tate has worked with individuals who have inspired and influenced him. The Oklahoma native and father of nine is the rare combination of artist and engineer. He has allowed every experience to propel him to the next adventure.

Just prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Tate was inspired to open an art gallery/studio adjacent to Tate-Studio — his Cave Creek residential architecture and interior design firm.

It’s an exhilarating addition to his thriving career.

“The universe is speaking to all of us,” Tate says. “I thought, ‘How can I make a difference?’ The idea I had over a year ago for the art gallery that’s an extension of our studio is getting legs and defining itself. I want to be the anti-gallery gallery.

It’s not about commercial success. I want it to be meaningful.

“What’s so cool is that I have no clue what I’m doing. That’s very liberating. People say that’s the story of my life. I taught myself how to make jewelry in high school, I taught myself CAD, how to run a business; this occurred out of necessity and a

Writer Shannon Severson Photography by Steven Thompson

determination to stay focused on what I deemed as meaningful for myself and for me, personally, to make a difference.”

Tate has always sold art through his practice, which he founded in 2007. This studio, as he prefers to call it, will feature artists who might not otherwise be seen, multicultural exhibits and artists who began their pursuits later in life — pure expressions of art that are meaningful and new. The ideas continue to evolve and he sees it as an extension of his current work.

ART AND ARCHITECTURE

It’s not as if Tate is a stranger to artistic pursuits. If anything, he is returning to his roots.

As a fine art major at Arizona State University, Tate’s concentration was sculpture. He names then department head, sculptor Ben Goo, as the mentor who instilled within him the imperative to create art every day. But as a young married man with two children to feed and another on the way, he left school before graduation.

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The relationship you build with someone when you’re designing their home is unlike any relationship in architecture that I have experienced.

As an artist, you want to feel that connection; that your work resonates with someone.

Mark Tate

“I didn’t much like the idea of being a starving artist,” he says.

Some friends of his had an architecture practice and they needed someone who could draw. For six months, Tate drew for several different architects without pay. He supported his family by selling his art at Scottsdale’s Fifth Avenue galleries, as well as his handmade modern jewelry.

“I fell in love with the sculpture of space,” Tate says. “It was a natural transition for me and a natural way to apply my skill sets at the time.”

Soon, he was working full-time for Architectural Alliance, a firm owned by Mike Muninger and Rich Fairborn, connecting him to a panoply of Arizonan architectural stars.

“Fortunately, Rich Fairborn knew Al Beadle very well and I got to run in that circle,” Tate says. “Rich and Mike were brilliant designers.

They partnered for a time with Leonard Parker, a legendary architect out of the University of Minnesota. They hung out with the Desert School architects — Will Bruder [and] Michael P. Johnson. The Desert School movement was about good art in general, the tenets of good design and composition. It was just a great experience.”

A formative experience was when Tate worked on Native American housing projects all over the Southwest — seeing hidden places in Arizona that most never see, creating small houses and gaining an understanding of what makes a house work, whether small or large. The connection he felt to residential architecture stayed with him.

“The relationship you build with someone when you’re designing their home is unlike any relationship in architecture that I have experienced,” Tate explains. “As an artist, you want to feel that connection; that your work resonates with someone.”

After 10 years, he had secured his license and launched out on his own.

BEAUTY, DESIGN AND LIVABILITY Tate’s willingness to do the next thing, take the next risk, learn the new skill and not shy away from the unknown afforded him priceless opportunities.

He worked with fellow Oklahomans Eddie and Neil Jones of Jones Studio (where he met his wife, builder Lisa Tate), left architecture for a time to design and build wood furniture, designed golf course clubhouses all over the country with Doug Frederickson, and learned the intricacies of client relationships when he worked on a home at Mirabel with Dan Couturier — a project that solidified his entry into the realm of residential design.

“Dan is just a wonderful human being,” Tate says.

“In building that house, he taught me the value of detail in homes and I would watch him interface with the clients; he’s just a gentle, intelligent, caring human being. It was an extension of what I’d learned working with Doug [Frederickson].”

Tate adds that the experience harkened back to the relationships he had working with the Indian nations in the Southwest.

“It clarified my journey,” he says. “Some people are fortunate enough to clarify their journey early in life. It took me a little bit longer, but I had great experiences in all the firms I worked with. I realized that this was my calling — to design houses and create relationships that become lifelong.”

Tate works closely with his clients to build visually stunning homes in a style and form that embraces core tenets of beauty, good design and livability. He translates their ideas, photos and even sketches into a realized vision.

Because Tate-Studio creates the interiors of eight out of every ten homes it designs, it is known for carrying the architectural style throughout the interior to create houses that are complete works of art. He credits his team — and the talented tradespeople he works with — for creating finished products that have homeowners return to him time and again.

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He says he has purposely avoided staying with one particular style of architecture, though many of his homes clearly trend toward sleek, modern lines.

homeowners who chose him to design their dream retirement property, for his team and for the tradespeople who worked tirelessly day after day to manifest the plans of the designers and builders.

“I want to do architecture that is just honest,” Tate says. “I like all kinds of music and all kinds of art. My favorite musicians are those who can cross genres. Why get pigeonholed? You see that we can’t be placed in one school or theme. The tenets we embrace are about how a home should work and not about the style. We mesh everything together in this great jazz ensemble that comes together and creates a beautiful piece of music. It’s not just my effort; it’s collaborative.”

“We aren’t just creating a building or a structure,” he says. “We are driven by our clients, each of them different, and the relationship we have built with them. We are creating a life and a story, a place for life events — like seeing 120 elk at sunset. In my mind, moments like that give me a sense of personal fulfillment and make the time I have spent feel relevant.”

A BEAUTIFUL SYMPHONY

As he surveys his career, his art and his new studio, Tate’s efforts and roads less traveled have all come together as if in a beautiful symphony.

Tate and his staff were recently invited to spend the night at a home in Flagstaff that they had designed and built.

As evening fell over the majestic Humphreys Peak in the distance, 120 elk emerged from the woods to graze on the golf course. Tate felt an overwhelming sense of appreciation — for the

“Don’t be afraid of what the music is going to sound like,” he says. “It’s the string of notes you’ve never heard that makes the prettiest music.” tate-studio.com

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There is no doubt that this holiday season will look a little different than those of years past. Once hoped to be just a momentary nuisance robbing us of spring holidays like St. Patrick’s Day and Easter, the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic eventually eradicated our summer and put a serious damper on fall festivities associated with Halloween and Thanksgiving.

Now, it is threatening to depreciate what Andy Williams so spectacularly proclaimed the most wonderful time of the year. However, Arizona’s performing arts organizations are determined to not allow that to happen by employing yuletide tenacity and holly jolly ingenuity.

For example, Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts is offering its holiday performances this year with multiple different types of ticketing options. The facility’s programming director Abbey Messmer says that 2020 holiday programming is all about a pragmatic balance.

“We are thoughtfully upholding mandated COVID-19 protocol; keeping safety, spacing and sanitization as top priority while helping usher in a festive spirit for the holiday season,” Messmer explains.

Well aware that families are looking for fun things to do to ensure the winter holidays do not fall by the wayside like those of this year’s other seasons, Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts will present its events indoors — with reduced capacity and spaced seating — as well as outdoors. It will also offer livestreaming options that allow audiences to watch the performances from the comfort of their own home.

“We feel passionate about providing opportunities for local artists that have lost income over the summer and we are fortunate to welcome a few national acts to the stage in December,” Messmer adds.

Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts’ national acts include Big Bad Voodoo Daddy: Holiday Swingin’ Party 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 2 and A Merry-Achi Christmas 8 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 19. Meanwhile, the local artists who will grace its stage include soulful band The Sugar Thieves, which will present its holiday concert How The Sugar Thieves Stole Christmas 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 12.

Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts’ plans are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the Valley’s various holiday performing arts events, proving Johnny Mathis’ proclamation that it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas — even this year.

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UNWRAPPED: AN ORIGINAL CHRISTMAS REVUE The Phoenix Theatre Company Dec. 2–23 // See website for times and price Central United Methodist Church 1875 N. Central Ave., Phoenix 602-254-2151 // phoenixtheatre.com

Photo Courtesy of Tim Trumble

A CHRISTMAS CAROL Childsplay Nov. 28–Dec. 23 // 7 p.m. // $15+ Herberger Theater Center 222 E. Monroe St., Phoenix 480-921-5700 // childsplayaz.org One of the Valley’s most celebrated actresses, Katie McFadzen, will bring to life a Charles Dickens’ holiday classic Nov. 28–Dec. 23 in Childsplay’s production of “A Christmas Carol.”

The one-woman performance will deliver the heartwarming story like audiences have never seen or heard it before — under the stars, lights and chandeliers of the new outdoor stage at Herberger Theater Center.

McFadzen believes that theater-goers are ready to get back to seeing live performances and hopes that the outdoor setting with spaced seating will help make them feel safer about the experience.

“Most theater artists have been completely sidelined by this pandemic since midMarch, which has greatly affected morale and obviously income,” she says.

Some of McFadzen’s friends in the performing arts industry have been forced to move away from the cities in which they live because they cannot afford to continue living in them without steady work.

“I feel fortunate to have the opportunity to tell this story in front of a live audience,” she says. “I look forward to the day that live performances are the norm again and all of the theater artists who have faced months of unemployment get back to work.”

In addition to safety, the outdoor setting should propel the production to be extraordinarily special in that the Valley’s chilly December temperatures will complement the story’s seasonal atmosphere. However, the actress advises audiences to come prepared with jackets and blankets.

“I hope that by telling this story, people will be reminded of the importance of and need for love and kindness in the world we live in and that change is possible — and that with change, comes hope,” McFadzen says.

The Phoenix Theatre Company, which is taking its entire season outdoors, is partnering with Brock Pro Entertainment to bring some rock 'n' roll muscle to its holiday production titled Unwrapped: An Original Christmas Revue. Featuring songs from Pentatonix, NSYNC, Hanson and more, the show will be performed Dec. 2–23 on the theater company’s new outdoor stage at Central United Methodist Church.

Lynzee Foreman, co-owner of Brock Pro Entertainment and artist at The Phoenix Theatre Company, says the live events and performing arts industries have been hit hard during this difficult year.

She adds that Arizona’s performing arts companies are far more fortunate than those in other parts of the country in that our weather allows the show to go on during the holiday season — given the proper ingenuity.

“The Phoenix Theatre Company has taken on the monumental task of building an outdoor space that safely brings audiences together and puts artists back to work,” Foreman says.

She adds that fleshing out the concept of Unwrapped: An Original Christmas Revue gifted her with a greater sense of family and a higher level of teamwork between the cast and staff than she has ever experienced while working on a show.

“I have watched the Arizona arts community really come together in a way I

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never thought possible,” Foreman explains.

“There is something magical about humans gathering together to create art and joy.”

Foreman notes that the performers and the band featured in Unwrapped: An Original Christmas Revue are all local artists, having been hand-picked for their amazing talent.

“It is a true pleasure to collaborate with them and bring these original arrangements and choreography to life right before your eyes,” she says. “To be part of something like that both as a performer and audience member — in a time when we need art more than ever — will uplift you and give you that holiday spirit we all need so badly.”

was just the remedy for the pandemic blues,” Wallot says. “Singing and dancing to this cheerful beautiful music has been just the antidote for our performers, who have not been on stage for many months.”

Noting that Fountain Hills Theater assembled some of the best talent in the Valley for the performances, Wallot encourages people to bring blankets and cuddle up with their loved ones for what is certain to be a very memorable night.

Fountain Hills Theater is taking its seasonal celebration outdoors this year. Santa and Mrs. Claus will host Holly Jolly Christmas: A Holiday Revue Dec. 11–20 via the theater company’s new outdoor venue that provides spaced seating and limited parking spots with views of the stage.

The joyous and touching musical walk down memory lane will feature 30 beloved holiday songs — including “Winter Wonderland,” “Let It Snow,” “Jingle Bell Rock,” “O, Holy Night,” “Santa Baby” and “Santa Claus is Coming to Town.”

Fountain Hills Theater’s executive director Michael Wallot — a former Broadway performer — acknowledges that 2020 has been a tough year for everyone.

“We felt a visit from Santa and Mrs. Claus

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“This year’s Holidays with Orpheus is unique because we will not be performing live,” Larson acknowledges. “But you will enjoy the new virtual videos of the chorus we created along holiday songs from previous performances.”

“Get ready to sing along, tap your toes and escape the madness of the real world for 90 minutes of pure joy,” he explains.

Photo Courtesy of Sonoran Desert Chorale

HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS

HOLLY JOLLY CHRISTMAS: A HOLIDAY REVUE Fountain Hills Theater Dec. 11–20 // See website for times // $32 Fountain Hills Theater 11445 N. Saguaro Blvd., Fountain Hills 480-837-9661 // fhtaz.org

concert will be presented to the community free of charge as a gift to audiences for their tremendous support of the performing arts organization over the years.

Sonoran Desert Chorale Saturday, Dec. 12 // 7:30 p.m. // Free 480-305-4538 // sonorandesertchorale.org

Photo Courtesy of Orpheus Male Chorus of Phoenix

HOLIDAYS WITH ORPHEUS The Orpheus Male Chorus of Phoenix Sunday, Dec. 6 // See website for time Free // 602-699-4556 // orpheus.org

Like the other three concerts in its performance season, Sonoran Desert Chorale will present its Christmas concert — Home for the Holidays — in a virtual format this year. Audiences need only find a comfortable spot in their home 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 12 and visit the chorale’s website to watch, hear and enjoy the concert free of charge.

The Orpheus Male Chorus of Phoenix will present its Christmas concert — Holidays with Orpheus — in a virtual format this year. The chorus will make the concert available Sunday, Dec. 6 via its website.

Home for the Holidays will feature a selection of beloved and joyful songs of the season, delivered via the beautiful sounds for which the ensemble is known.

Holidays with Orpheus will feature an interactive program with new virtual performances of “Oh Come All Ye Faithful” and “The Hands That First Held Mary’s Child” as well as classic videos and interviews.

Sonoran Desert Chorale’s artistic director Carric Smolnik says one of the reasons the performing arts organization selected Home for the Holidays as the title of its Christmas concert is that most people will be celebrating the holidays at home this year as a result of social distancing efforts.

The Orpheus Male Chorus of Phoenix’s artistic director Brook Larson says that the

“But as it says in Michael McGlynn’s ‘Christmas Memories,’ ‘We’re coming

home for Christmas Day to our sweetest memories,’” Smolnik adds. “The Sonoran Desert Chorale hopes to give our audience members sweet holiday memories through our virtual, holiday performance ... [which] will include two virtual performances — learned and recorded at home, but mastered together into a brand new performance.”

HOLIDAY MUSIC FEATURING PHOENIX BRASS COLLECTIVE Phoenix Brass Collective Sunday, Dec. 13 // 2 p.m. // $24+ Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts 7380 E. Second St., Scottsdale // phxbrass.com Phoenix Brass Collective will perform its holiday concert 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 13. In-person and livestream ticketing options are available for the concert, which is part of Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts’ MusicaNovacurated series Classical Longue that showcases the work of wonderful Arizona classical musicians in a casual, informal setting.

Although Phoenix Brass Collective is comprised of 16 professional brass and percussion musicians, concerts are occasionally performed in smaller groups of four or five musicians. The holiday concert will showcase a brass quintet made up of two trumpets, one French horn, one trombone and one tuba.

Phoenix Brass Collective’s public relations director Seth Bärtschi says that, like many others in the performing arts industry, the group’s musicians have been greatly affected by the unique circumstances of this year that essentially ceased live performances.

“As a group of musicians, we have spent a great deal of time apart from each other,” Bärtschi explains. “As weeks stretched into

months, the desire intensified to reunite with our colleagues and we yearned for human interaction in a creative outlet.”

and professional cleaning — and take precautions to ensure a safe and healthy environment for Holiday Cabaret.

Phoenix Brass Collective spent the last few months putting together several positive virtual ensemble performances that it then posted to social media.

“The new protocols are challenging but worth it,” Temple says. “And doing a holiday performance seems to be just what the doctor ordered for our patrons and performers who miss not only live theater but each other. The holidays give us the perfect reason to gather and we are honored to create an evening of music and storytelling that lightens the heart and soothes the soul.”

“This has been a salve for both us and our audience,” Bärtschi adds. “Each of us received messages of gratitude and many spoke of shedding tears both of sadness for what they missed but also for the hope they felt that things would improve.”

He notes that the performing arts organization has repeatedly received feedback from audiences expressing a desire to see and hear the group again in person. Therefore, its holiday concert holds a particularly special significance.

He adds that Desert Foothills Theater’s staff has been overwhelmed by the gratitude expressed by patrons for the opportunity to experience live theater in a safe, health-conscious environment.

Photo by Alexander Iziliaev

“For the Phoenix Brass Collective quintet and many of our audience members, it will be our first live performance together since February,” Bärtschi says. “As a cherry — or mistletoe — on top, we will be performing holiday crowd favorites that inspire nostalgia, warmth and charity.”

HOLIDAY CABARET Desert Foothills Theater Saturday, Dec. 19 // 7 p.m. // $25 The Holland Center 34250 N. 60th St., Scottsdale 480-488-1981 // dftheater.org Desert Foothills Theater’s seasoned entertainers will present a fun, safe and joy-filled night of song, dance, laughter and heartwarming fun 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 19 at The Holland Center.

Desert Foothills Theater’s managing director Terry Temple says that staff and performers will observe all mandates — including spaced seating, face coverings

NUTCRACKER SUITE Ballet Arizona Dec. 12 and 19 // 3 p.m. $20 // 602-381-1096 // balletaz.org For many, the holiday season simply would not be complete without attending a production of “The Nutcracker.”

Although seeing it live at Symphony Hall is not an option this year, Ballet Arizona is ensuring the survival of the cherished and time-honored tradition with its digital presentation of “Nutcracker Suite.”

Streaming 3 p.m. Dec. 12 and 19 — and available to view on-demand for

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24 hours after each performance — the new digital format allows the dance company to be creative and engaging in fresh and different ways. In addition to the beautiful dancing that audiences know and love, the presentations will also feature exclusive behind-the-scenes content such as dancer interviews, rehearsal footage and backstage peeks.

Ballet Arizona’s director of marketing Leslie Marquez says that the dance company will also compliment the virtual viewing experience with optional add-on packages that include sweet treats, activities, mementos and more to help bring home the joy of attending one of its productions of “The Nutcracker” in person. “[The] Nutcracker is such a wonderful and enduring holiday tradition,” Marquez says. “Our dancers and staff are incredibly excited and thankful to share it with viewers this season. For our dancers — and really the whole Ballet Arizona family — being able to perform and produce performances during these challenging times is so meaningful, rewarding and hope-giving.”

even tougher — benefitting not only performers but also audiences.

North Valley Symphony Orchestra’s music director Kevin Kozacek echoes the sentiments of so many others in the performing arts industry, saying that the COVID-19 pandemic has been incredibly difficult for his organization. However, the orchestra has continued to provide the opportunity for its musicians to learn, rehearse and perform in small chamber ensembles.

In addition to weekly virtual performances on YouTube, North Valley Symphony Orchestra will keep the spirit of the season aglow through a program that brings the music directly to the audience rather than the other way around.

“Musicians will be providing a program called Neighborhood Noels, where small groups of our instrumentalists perform everyone’s favorite holiday music throughout our communities in private parks, driveways and local ramadas,” Kozacek explains.

Photo Courtesy of Nancy and Earl of Still 'n Motion Picture Company

SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS Photo Courtesy of North Valley Symphony Orchestra

NEIGHBORHOOD NOELS North Valley Symphony Orchestra See website for details 623-980-4628 // northvalleysymphony.org There truly is no shortage of tenacity or ingenuity across Arizona’s performing arts industry. The past year has undoubtedly been tough, but our performing arts organizations are proving that they are

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Christian Dance Company Dec. 19–22 // See website for times and price Higley Center for the Performing Arts 4132 E. Pecos Road, Gilbert 480-820-0795 // tempedance.com Audiences have two opportunities to experience the Spirit of Christmas show presented by Tempe Dance Academy's Christian Dance Company this year.

First, Chandler Center for the Arts will bring the show — which celebrates

traditions from around the world with a cast of more than 100 dancers, singers and guest performers — to audiences’ living rooms with a recording of last year’s 32nd annual presentation Dec. 4–6.

Chandler Center for the Arts’ general manager Michelle Mac Lennan says the show is one presentation in a wide array of holiday programming that the facility is offering in an attempt to lift the spirits of families this holiday season. Other shows — including holiday performances

by Chandler Symphony and Chandler Children's Chorus — will boast both virtual and in-person ticketing options.

“Keeping performances happening assures our artists keep dancing, singing and performing,” Lennan says.

Christian Dance Company will then perform a live version of the show Dec. 19–22 at Higley Center for the Performing Arts. Tempe Dance Academy’s owner Wanda Manville hopes that the 33rd annual presentation will provide audiences with a little bit of normalcy after having experienced such an excessively stressful year.

“No matter your age, you will find joy in this show,” Manville says. “Our dancers have worked very hard, taking all of the necessary precautions to be able to provide this wonderful show to our community.”

Thanks to the Valley’s incredible performing arts organizations, there really is no reason to have anything but a joyous holiday season this year. As Bill Nighy’s “Love Actually” character Billy Mack proclaimed, Christmas is all around — maybe more so this year than ever before.

Cherry Pie Serve your dinner guests this luscious dessert during your holiday gatherings this year and watch as they fight for the last piece. This recipe includes instructions on how to create the perfect lattice top, putting this pie over the edge with a “wow” factor that is certain to make everyone’s spirits bright.

Serves: 6–8 Prep time: 30 minutes Cook time: 40 minutes

Ingredients: 2 jars Morello cherries 1/4 cup corn starch 2 rolls refrigerated pie dough

3/4 cup sugar 1/4 teaspoon almond extract 1 egg

Directions: Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Drain and reserve the juice from one jar of cherries. Drain the other.

Combine sugar and corn starch in a saucepan. Add the reserved cherry juice. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly until thickened.

Remove saucepan from heat. Add cherries and almond extract. Then stir until all cherries are covered in the mixture.

Cover pie dish with first pie dough. Pour cherry mixture over dough and set aside.

Roll out second pie dough and cut strips about 1/2-inch wide, resulting in eight strips total.

Lay the first four strips across the pie. Take the first and third strips and pull them back to lay another strip the opposite way. Bring the first and third strips back to their original positions. Then take the second and fourth strips back to lay another across the opposite way and bring the strips back to their original position. Repeat with remaining strips.

Pinch sides of pie to make a fluted edge, brush with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar (if desired).

Bake until filling begins to bubble and crust becomes golden, about 35–40 minutes.

Writer and Photographer Kyndra Kelly

kyndraclaire.com

Chef’s Notes: You may need to use a pie crust shield or aluminum foil for the second half of baking to prevent the outer crust from getting too dark.

December 2020

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Red Wine and Cider Braised Short Ribs Here is a deliciously festive holiday twist on one of my favorite comfort foods. This dish is easily customizable. All amounts are rough guidelines. Simply use what you have on hand or personalize to your preference. I use Les Petites tri-color carrots from Trader Joe’s to give the dish an extra pop of color, but regular carrots cut into chunks would also work well.

Serves: 5–6 Time: 4 hours

Ingredients: 5–6 short ribs 1 medium onion, chopped 1 cup red wine 2 cups apple cider 1–2 cups beef broth 2–3 bay leaves 2–3 sprigs fresh rosemary 2–3 sprigs thyme 1 pound petite carrots 6–8 ounces cranberries

Directions: Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Heat a large oven-proof pot over medium-high heat. Add oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pot. Add short ribs to the pot and sear all six sides. Remove short ribs from the pot and set aside.

Add onion to the pot and stir, scraping up the brown bits from the bottom. Add wine to finish deglazing. Add short ribs back to the pot, pour in apple cider and enough beef broth to cover the meat. Add herbs, bring to a boil, cover with lid and place in preheated oven for 2.5–3 hours.

When there is about 1 hour remaining, add carrots and cranberries to the pot and finish cooking until short ribs are tender.

Serve over mashed potatoes drizzled with brown butter.

Writer and Photographer Kyndra Kelly

kyndraclaire.com

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Chef’s Notes: To make brown butter, heat a stick of butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Watch carefully. As soon as the butter begins to get foamy and slightly browned, remove the skillet from the heat.

Drizzle over mashed potatoes — or anything for that matter.

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